Casting device for pressure casting concrete and the like



March 1, 1966 D. YATES 3,237,268 7 CASTING DEVICE FOR PRESSURE CASTINGCONCRETE AND THE LIKE Filed July 17, 1964 M ME/via)? DEW/7'7 E. YATES 5y47'70PNEK United States Patent 3,237,268 CASTING DEVICE FOR PRESSURECASTING CONCRETE AND THE LIKE De Witt E. Yates, Rte. 4, Box 105,Chippewa Falls, Wis. Filed July 17, 1964, Ser. No. 383,279 6 Claims.(Cl. 25-41) This invention relates to a casting device for the pressurecasting of concrete, plastic and similar masses particularly concretebuilding blocks, patio tile, silo staves and the like.

Although a variety of devices have been designed for pressure castingconcrete shapes, a relatively simple, positive acting mold permittingmass production without sacrificing unit quality has been desired. Whenfreshly mixed concrete is subjected to high compression with provisionfor removal of water, it quickly hardens into a plastic mass ofsuificient solidity to permit rapid removal from the mold. However,deformation of the plastic mass can occur unless the piece is carefullyremoved, particularly if the piece has sharp edges.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a simple andefficient pressure casting device providing mass production capabilitywithout edge deformation of the molded block.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a pres sure castingdevice having means for simultaneously opening the sides and ends of thedevice with uniform, controlled movement, initially a shearing movement,to permit immediate removal of the piece without edge deformation.

A further object is to provide a pressure casting device in which themold is precisely and rigidly locked by the downward movement of thepress ram.

Still other objects and advantages will be apparent from the followingdescription.

In the drawings similar reference numerals indicate like parts in theseveral figures.

FIGURE 1 is a side view, partly in section, of the casting device withthe mold in its locked position.

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the casting device with the press ramremoved to reveal operating details of the mold in both the closed andopen position.

FIGURE 3 is an end view of the casting device with the press ram in anelevated position.

Referring to the figures, the mold bottom plate 1 is supported on a base2. Mold side members 3 and mold end members 4 are movably mounted onsaid bottom plate by means of link pivot pins 5, link arms 6, and wristpins 7 to permit arcuate movement of said members without change oforientation about the wrist pin axis. Link arms 6 freely rotate aboutlink pivot pins and are extended into the side and end members throughsuitable slots formed in said members, the slots being sized to permitlateral movement of the link arms. At least one wrist pin associatedwith each mold side and each mold end member is journalled in saidbottom plate and is affixed at its upper extension to the correspondinglink arm and at its lower extension to a control arm 8, coupling thelink arm and the control arm for simultaneous movement as a single unit.A connecting rod 9 joins each control arm to an actuating lever 10pivotally mounted between the mold bottom plate and the base. Throughthe described linkages rotation of the actuating lever about its axisproduces simultaneous arcuate movement of all mold side members and moldend members at a rate determined by the motion of the actuating lever.The actuating lever may be extended outside of the mold through asuitable slot in the base and serve as an actuating handle 11 foroperation by manual or other means, e.g. hydraulic cylinder. Theactuating lever may also be made to operate 3,237,268 Patented Mar. 1,1966 from the underside of the base by affixing the actuating lever to arotatable shaft 12 journalled in the base and extending therethrough forexternal control. Other variations for effecting rotational movement ofthe actuating lever about its axis can, of course, be made to adapt thedevice to the type of control desired.

The mold top plate 13 is mounted onto the pressure plate 14 to which thepressure ram 15 is bolted. On each side of the pressure plate is afiixedat least one, preferably two, mold clamps 16, the mold clamps extendingoutwardly and downwardly of said mold top plate, the lowermost portionbeing preferably beveled outwardly at its inner face 17. Each mold clamppreferably carries in its body a vertical hold down plunger 18 which isdownwardly biased by spring 19. A stop member 20 on the upper extremityof the hold down plunger limits its downward travel. Both the face ofthe mold top plate and face of the mold bottom plate p eferably areformed with thin, closely spaced drain grooves 21 therein opening intolateral drain channels (not shown) to assist the removal of water fromthe mold. Various spacers may be inserted between the base and the moldbottom plate to assist in distributing the pressure more uniformly,provided such spacers are not located so as to interfere with themovement of the connecting rods, control arms, and actuating lever.

In the use of the casting device of this invention counterclockwisemovement of the actuating handle 11 (as viewed in FIGURE 2) eithermanually or automatically in a predetermined time cycle, rotates theactuating lever to assemble both side members 3 and both end members 4on the mold bottom to form an open topped chamber having the desiredblock configuration. A measured amount of concrete or other castingmaterial is then placed in the chamber and the pressure ram is lowered,eg by hydraulic means. As the ram lowers, the beveled inner faces of themold clamps first engage the outer surfaces of the side and end members,locking them firmly in closed, mold forming position. As the mold topplate is lowered further, the mold clamps having locked the side and endmembers into position, the hold down plungers contact the upper surfacesof the side and end members to position them tightly against the moldbottom during the remaining downward movement of the mold top plate.Further downward travel of the pressure ram brings the mold top plateinto contact with the casting material as it moves snugly into thechamber formed by the side and end members, forcing water out of thechamber through the drain grooves and channels. Thus, the downwardmovement of the pressure ram automatically and sequentially (1) locksthe side and end members in position, (2) seals the side and end membersto the mold bottom plate and (3) pressurally applies the mold top plateto the casting material to compact the material with removal of water,entrapped air, etc.

Once the maximum desired pressure has been achieved the pressure ram isreturned upwardly to release the pressure and retract the hold downplungers and mold clamps. The actuating lever is then moved (in aclockwise direction as viewed in FIGURE 2) to the open position,simultaneously removing the side and end members from the molded pieceby arcuate movement without change of orientation, each member movinginitially in shear to break the adhesion between the molded piece andthe mold forming surfaces of the members and to prevent damage to thesurfaces and corners of the molded piece. After the molded piece isremoved the actuating lever is returned to its closed position toreassemble the side and end members for another cycle. As will beappreciated, the entire operation can be fully automated by programmingthe movements of the pressure ram and the control rodactuating lever ina suitable time cycle and providing means for charging the mold chamberand removing the molded piece.

Various modifications and alterations of the above described device willbe apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from theinvention.

I claim:

1. A pressure casting device which comprises (1) a mold bottom plate,(2) movable side and end members disposed thereon and pivotally attachedthereto by linkage means permitting arcuate movement of each of saidmembers between an assembled mold-forming position and a disassembledmold-releasing position without change of member orientation, (3)actuating means connected to each of said linkage means to effectsimultaneously said arcuate movement of all side and end members in acontrolled manner, (4) a mold top plate of a configuration fitted snuglywithin said side and end members in assembled mold-forming position, and(5) mold clamping means in fixed relation to said mold top plate andbeing movable therewith, said mold clamping means extending outwardlyand downwardly therefrom, the lowermost portions thereof being belowsaid mold top plate, to engage and lock said side and end memberstogether in assembled mold-forming position.

2. The pressure casting device of claim 1 in which the lowermostportions of said mold clamps which engage said side and end members arebeveled outwardly to urge said side and end members gradually andsimultaneously into assembled mold-forming position.

3. A pressure casting device which comprises 1) a mold bottom plate, (2)movable side and end members disposed thereon and pivotally attachedthereto by linkage means permitting arcuate movement of each of saidmembers between an assembled mold-forming position and a disassembledmold-releasing position without change of member orientation, (3) asingle actuating means connected to each of said linkage means to effectsimultaneously said arcuate movement of all side and end members, (4) amold top plate of a configuration fitting snugly within said side andend members in assembled moldforming position, (5) a support plate forsaid mold top plate, (6) mold clamps in fixed relation to said supportplate and extending outwardly and downwardly therefrom, the lowermostportions thereof being below said mold top plate, to engage and locksaid side and end members together in assembled mold-forming position,and (7) pressural means for changing the relative separation of saidmold top plate and said mold bottom plate.

4. A pressure casting device which comprises (1) a mold bottom plate,(2) movable side and end members disposed thereon and pivotally attachedthereto by linkage means permitting arcuate movement of each of saidmembers between an assembled mold-forming position and a disassembledmold-releasing position without change of member orientation, (3) asingle actuating lever pivotally disposed under said mold bottom plateand connected to each of said linkage means to effect simultaneouslysaid arcuate movement of all side and end members, (4) a mold top plateof a configuration fitting snugly within said side and end members inassembled mold-forming position, (5) a support plate for said mold topplate, (6) mold clamps associated with said support plate and extendingdownwardly and outwardly therefrom, the lowermost portions thereof beingbelow said mold top plate, to engage and lock said side and end memberstogether in asssembled mold-forming position, and (7) drainage means insaid mold bottom plate and said mold top plate to permit removal offluids and gases from said mold.

5. A pressure casting device which comprises (1) a mold bottom plate,(2) movable side and end members disposed thereon and pivotally attachedthereto by linkage means permitt-ing arcuate movement of each of saidmembers between an assembled mold-forming position and a disassembledmold-releasing position without change of member orientation, (3)actuating means connected to each of said linkage means to effectsimultaneously said arcuate movement of all side and end members, (4) amold top plate of a configuration fitting snugly within said side andend members in assembled moldforming position, (5) mold clampsassociated with and extending outwardly and downwardly of said mold topplate, the lowermost portions thereof being below said mold top plate,to engage and lock said side and end members together in assembledmold-forming position, and (6) means associated with said mold clamps tohold said side and end members against said mold bottom plate whenlocked in assembled mold-forming position.

6. The pressure casting device of claim 5 in which said means associatedwith said mold clamps to hold said side and end members against saidmold bottom plate when locked in assembled mold-forming positioncomprises downwardly biased plungers mounted in said mold clamps.

References Cited by the Examiner FOREIGN PATENTS 532,107 11/1921 France.732,287 6/1955 Great Britain. 766,748 1/ 1957 Great Britain. 561,768 4/1957 Italy.

I. SPENCER OVERHOLSER, Primary Examiner,

G. A. KAP, Assistant Examiner.

1. A PRESSURE CASTING DEVICE WHICH COMPRISES (1) A MOLD BOTTOM PLATE (2)MOVABLE SIDE AND END MEMBERS DISPOSED THEREON AND PIVOTALLY ATTACHEDTHERETO BY LINKAGE MEANS PERMITTING ARCUATE MOVEMENT OF EACH OF SAIDMEMBERS BETWEEN AN ASSEMBLED MOLD-FORMING POSITION AND A DISASSEMBLEDMOLD-RELEASING POSITION WITHOUT CHANGE OF MEMBER ORIENTATION, (3)ACTUATING MEANS CONNECTED TO EACH OF SAID LINKAGE MEANS TO EFFECTSIMULTANEOUSLY SAID ARCUATE MOVEMENT OF ALL SIDE AND END MEMBERS IN ACONTROLLED MANNER, (4) A MOLD TOP PLATE OF A CONFIGURATION FITTED SNUGLYWITHIN SAID SIDE AND END MEMBERS IN ASSEMBLED MOLD-FORMING POSITION, AND(5) MOLD CLAMPING MEANS IN FIXED RELATION TO SAID MOLD TOP PLATE ANDBEING